Poland: Campaign against labour abuse

25/05/2018 - Poland
- Campaign Posted by: Country Coordinator Poland

As a response to the growing exploitation of- and discrimination against Ukrainian workers, the Polish-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce has initiated the wide social awareness campaign Partnership and Employment. The campaign aims to inform and protect Ukrainians who plan to or already work in Poland. It is conducted both in Ukraine where it targets recruitment agencies and job applicants and in Poland where it targets employers and entrepreneurs.

In Ukraine, the Main problems workers willing to move to Poland face are associated with intermediaries which collect recruitment fees or advertise fake job offers only to collect fees. In Poland, Ukrainians are abused by employers who do not provide them with written contracts and when they do, they omit to pay taxes and social insurance contributions for, depriving migrant workers of their social rights. According to a survey conducted in April 2017, nearly one in four Ukrainian migrant has been directly abused by an employer or a work agent in Poland. They however do not report these abuses.

The campaign is supported by the Polish Ombudsman and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. It is launched one year after the I do not pay for work campaign which also targeted Ukrainian workers.